Anyone not happy with their M7?

[RayPA]

I have complains. Coming from a Bessa-R, I can tell you it beats the Ms on many levels:

-Much better VF on the Bessa.
-focusing patch bigger and clearer on Bessa.
-Frame lines much clearer and better on Bessa.
-film loading is much easier on Bessa.
-I can understand people complaining about flare patch on M6 Ms

... And more...

Maybe the people that think Leica is the absolute best need a Brain adjustment? I think so.

Even though this thread is about the M7, I have to disagree with just about everything on this list. Of course it's all a matter of opinion, I owned an R2, and the VF is not better than any M that I own (M4P, M7, MP) or M mount camera that I own (CLE, even the Hexar RF). Gandy seems to agree, too. The framelines are selectable on the R2 and not automatic. I find the loading easier on an M, and I too can load an M mount camera quicker than I can an open-back loading camera (although the quickest is probably the Hexar RF).

Also the R2 was noisier than an M both on the shutter and the film advance, and the thing that drove me crazy was the "internal" meter light was visible from the front exterior of the camera. On the plus side the R2 was the last good-looking Bessa.

But if you think the Bessa is a better camera than a Leica M that's OK with me. You can still use Leica or CV glass on a Bessa, and it's a much cheaper camera. Those may be the most attractive aspects of owning a Bessa.


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[furcafe]

Nah, there are plenty of people who complain(ed) about M3s (e.g., finder's tinted too dark, it has no 35mm framelines, etc.).

nobody ever complains about an m3

 

[dll927]

All this seems to follow the old line that you hear more about complaints than you do about the positive side. And many of the postings are little more than personal preferences. Do we need this???

 

[tajart]

when i placed quotes around problem w the flare prone finder in my early m7 it was meant to suggest that it really isn't a problem for me, as is it for some users. some day i'll probably have a cla and have the vf upgraded at that time.
batteries: i usually change them once a year just to be safe...but this year i didn't and it has been 18 months and going.
i bought my m7 new when they first came out, and really enjoy the 35 asph summicron on it, or the 28 elmarit, and lately, the 40/1.4.

 

[furcafe]

I have no serious complaints about my M7 (bought used). It delivers everything that I want from it, the main thing being aperture-priority AE in a Leica M body.

The only quality control/bug issue that I've experienced is w/the automatic DX sensing, which occasionally "chooses" the wrong ISO; however, I always set the ISO manually, anyway, so the only consequence is the (slightly) annoying flashing LED warning. As far as the RF patch flare issue, it was a problem for me but I had DAG install the reduction kit, & since it shared that problem w/the M6, etc., it's not really an M7 issue. I haven't experienced any unusual battery consumption problems, except for the 1st few months I owned it & that was probably because I hadn't developed the habit of turning it off when putting it away.

As far as ergonomics, I greatly prefer the M7's simple digital shutter speed readout to the scale-based readout on my R-D1 or Hexar RF, where I can't see the shutter speeds 1/3rd of the time (probably because of my eyeglasses). Based on the R-D1, which I believe shares the same RF/VF as it's Bessa brethren, I fail to see how the CV VF is superior in any way to the Leica; for its part, the Hexar RF's RF/VF is noticeably dimmer. I also experience much more of a RF patch "wandering" problem (i.e., the secondary images moves depending on eye position--again, probably more of a problem for eyeglass wearers) when using the R-D1 & Hexar RF than I do on any of the Leica M bodies I've ever used.

Im kind of curious, I see a lot of problems with this expensive camera. I was wondering how many m7 owners spend time here and how the feel about their investment. Are they happy? Regret? Wish they went with an older Leica?

I've been looking at M7's and M6's because the market seems pretty buyer friendly, (Although Leica glass seems to be going up)

Just wanted to hear personal stories, the good, the bad, the ugly...

Thanks!

 

[SolaresLarrave]

At one time I said to a Leica representative that I had hear about the ISO dial problem with the DX sensors... and he said he'd never heard of it. Then I realized that for every M7 complaining user, there are 100 users who are perfectly happy with the camera. Hence, take all the negative comments with a grain of salt.

When I was shopping for Leicas I had my sights on an M7. The prices were too high, so I went for an M6 instead, and ended up buying the M6TTL in the end. Sometimes I wish I had AE but... I just got used to my camera now.

Reporting live, from Costa Rica,

 

[RayPA]

All this seems to follow the old line that you hear more about complaints than you do about the positive side. And many of the postings are little more than personal preferences. Do we need this???

agree, and really judging by the question posted in the subject line of this thread, this thread should be empty (fade-in sound of crickets). 🙂



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[RayPA]

....

Reporting live, from Costa Rica,

cool...I'll be there in a couple of months...

 

[Doug]

The only quality control/bug issue that I've experienced is w/the automatic DX sensing, which occasionally "chooses" the wrong ISO; however, I always set the ISO manually, anyway, so the only consequence is the (slightly) annoying flashing LED warning...

I don't even have an M7, so I'm not sure this even rises to the level of opinion, but it seems to me if there's anything to object to about the M7 it would be the very presense of the DX film-speed sensing feature.

This seems a clear example of catering to the dilletante clientele. Any serious user is likely to be using some EI other than the film box speed. 1/3 stop under for transparencies, for example, or 2/3 stop over for C-41 films like I do, or some other setting for B&W negs depending on the developer chosen.

This is the main annoyance on my Fuji GA645; it reads barcodes from Fuji roll-film paper backing as the roll is loaded, and automatically sets the film speed on the camera, which I then always have to manually change to what I want. But I otherwise like Fuji pro 120 and 220, or I'd change to Kodak to escape the barcodes. 🙂

 

[sepiareverb]

...Any serious user is likely to be using some EI other than the film box speed. 1/3 stop under for transparencies, for example, or 2/3 stop over for C-41 films like I do, or some other setting for B&W negs depending on the developer chosen...

I shoot at the 'suggested' or 'DX/given' ISO for most films, and am quite serious, regardless of what my posts may lead one to believe.😉

I like DX. I make far fewer mistakes with it, as I shoot many different speed films even over the course of a day. I have now in my 'in box' a roll of FP4 than I need to pull to 50 because I neglected to adjust the ISO dial when loading in a hurry. SInce foregoing DX on the M7's this is my first mistake, but with the G2's, the TVS, the XPAN I don't make this mistake.

Dumb I will admit to being, but even one this dumb can learn! I've since discovered that by looking at the VF when turning on the camera you can be told what ISO the cannister says despite your set ISO- and the lower dot which caused such aggravation in DX mode actually serves as a warning to prevent this exact error.

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[sepiareverb]

There is the rub. That light is there. I do push and pull, don't get me wrong. I shoot a lot of HP5 at 800 (this is Vermont) and I like to run Velvia at 40. So then the light is there as a stab in the eye. That lower dot is perhaps the least carefully thought out part of the M7's design, but then every camera has something.

You should try an M5 Magus if you don't like the lights (insert sound of can opener and worms gasping for breath)😱

 

[cmogi10]

This wasn't ment to be a bash the M7 thread, In fact, part of me really wants one.

It just seemed like everything I read was negative and wanted to hear everyones opinions, and I knew the title would bring all the M7 people in, happy or not, to fight their case.

At the end of the day, I still want an M7, perhaps even more now, it would be a great compliment to my bare bones M4-P, it would take everything I love and add modern features.

thanks for everyones opinion!

 

[cmogi10]

A couple surprises here and there...hah, and I completely forgot about the M2, how'd that work out?

O and guess what? Took a leap and I'm moving to San Fran next year, I'l have to stop by before I move.